The present invention relates to pallets as structures for supporting, retaining and moving other objects. In general, a “pallet” as the term is used here refers to a rigid structure relatively planar with a thickness dimension substantially less than the orthogonal linear planar dimensions of the structure. The planar dimensions of a pallet may vary, but herein are considered typical pallet constructions with width and length planar dimensions in the range 48 inches to 110 inches. In no way are the above typical dimensions limiting of the aspects or utility of the present invention.
In general convention use and respecting the present invention, objects of value or interest otherwise are secured to one or more pallets. The pallets provide a means of aggregating multiple objects in some instances. A valuable aspect of pallets in most applications is their providing a means or mechanism for moving the secured objects without further contact with the objects. This may be valuable where the objects of interest are fragile or do not themselves provide convenient structural features for applying forces for moving them by conventional transport devices.
In many prior art applications, the transport device is in the form of a “forklift” which may be self-propelled or man-powered. Typically, the “fork” of the forklift is placed in a balanced position under the pallet, or within slots within the pallet body. In this manner, the forklift may be positioned under the center of gravity to enable winching the pallet with its load of objects.
In some applications, use of a forklift is not feasible. For example, in confined transport vehicles such as helicopters and other aircraft designed for cargo transport, in the past it has been necessary to move or position loaded pallets by man-power alone due to the unavailability, or the lack of clearance for the use, of forklifts. In some of these applications, it is possible to use cable winches to pull pallets into a transport vehicle space. For such applications, the pallets must be designed to survive the tension loads produced by such modes of movement which are not produced by simple lifting of the pallet from beneath—as with a forklift. A substantial difficulty exists with conventional prior use of a cable winch in the above manner. Where multiple pallets must be moved and positioned in a row, with the same orientation and closely spaced (which is almost always desirable), it is often impossible to access all of the pallets. Where the desired position of the pallets is in a longitudinally oriented row, it is usually possible to winch only the first pallet before access to the cable winch is blocked. In this arrangement, the first pallet and its secured object(s) block the needed path of the cable for each subsequent pallet in the row.
What is needed is a pallet that allows passage of a cable to access each subsequent pallet, aligned with the first pallet, to allow cable winching of multiple pallets.